The following is a list of events that affected
radio broadcasting
Radio broadcasting is the broadcasting of audio signal, audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a lan ...
in 2015. Events listed include radio program debuts, finales, cancellations, station launches, closures and format changes, as well as information about controversies.
Notable events
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Debuts
Closings
Deaths
*January 1:
Mario Cuomo, 82. Former
Governor of New York
The governor of New York is the head of government of the U.S. state of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor ...
and early
progressive talk radio
Progressive talk radio is a talk radio format devoted to expressing Left-wing politics, left-leaning viewpoints of news and issues as opposed to conservative talk radio. In the United States, the format has included radio syndication, syndicated ...
host.
*January 2:
Little Jimmy Dickens, 94. Frequent host and member of the ''
Grand Ole Opry
The ''Grand Ole Opry'' is a regular live country music, country-music Radio broadcasting, radio broadcast originating from Nashville, Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee, on WSM (AM), WSM, held between two and five nights per week, depending on the ...
''; country musician and comedian.
*January 4:
Lance Diamond, 68. Radio host on
WJYE and musician.
*January 7:
Bernard Maris, 68, French journalist and radio presenter (killed in the terrorist attack on the
''Charlie Hebdo'' offices in Paris.
*January 9:
Bud Paxson, 79. Radio and television owner, founder of Paxson Communications.
*January 15:
Raoul Pantin, 71, Trinidadian journalist and broadcaster
*January 17:
Justin Kili, 61, Papua New Guinean journalist and radio personality
*January 24:
Joe Franklin
Joe Franklin (March 9, 1926 – January 24, 2015), born Joseph Fortgang, was an American radio and television host personality, author and actor from New York City. Franklin is noted for having the first talk show and inventing the format. His te ...
, 88. Television and radio host based in
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
.
*January 26: Christopher “Kit” Carson, 58. Chief assistant on ''
The Rush Limbaugh Show''.
*February 9:
Richard Sher, 66, US radio quiz show host (''
Says You!'')
*February 12
**
Alison Gordon, 72, Canadian sports journalist, writer and broadcaster
**
Gary Owens, 80, DJ at several stations from 1952 to 2007, most notably
KMPC in Los Angeles; voiced thousands of commercials and cartoon characters, was the announcer on ''
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In'' and hosted a daily program on the syndicated ''
Music of Your Life'' network.
*February 14:
Bernd Dost, 75, German journalist and broadcaster
*February 15:
Sergio Blanco, 66, Spanish singer (
Sergio y Estíbaliz), Eurovision entrant
*February 19:
Warren Thomson, 79, Australian pianist and broadcaster
*March 5:
Fred Latremouille, 69, Canadian radio host.
*March 11:
Tony Fenton, 53, Irish radio presenter
* April 3:
Paul Grigoriu, 70, Romanian radio personality (
SRR).
* April 5:
Gordon Moyes, 76, Australian radio evangelist and politician
* April 7:
Stan Freberg, 88, American host of ''The Stan Freberg Show'' and ''
When Radio Was'', advertising executive and actor
* April 10:
Richie Benaud, 84, Australian cricketer and commentator
* April 14:
Roberto Tucci, 93, Italian Roman Catholic prelate, President of
Vatican Radio (1985–2001)
* April 16:
Nimal Mendis, 81, Sri Lankan singer and songwriter
* April 17:
Don Quayle, 84, journalist and
NPR's first president.
* May 1:
David Day, 63, Australian radio broadcaster,
5KA
* May 14:
B.B. King, 89, Blues musician whose career and stage name originated from his stint as an air personality at
WDIA/
Memphis.
* May 15:
John Stephenson, 91. American radio, television and voice actor (radio work included roles on ''
It's Always Sunday'' and ''The Count of Monte Cristo'', and later commercials for Accountemps).
* May 23:
Anne Meara, 85, Actress, singer, writer, producer and comedian (as one half of
Stiller & Meara with husband
Jerry Stiller), recipient of a
Clio Award for her work with her husband in a series of radio ads for
Blue Nun Wine.
* June 11:
Jim Ed Brown, 81, American country musician. Member of the
Grand Ole Opry
The ''Grand Ole Opry'' is a regular live country music, country-music Radio broadcasting, radio broadcast originating from Nashville, Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee, on WSM (AM), WSM, held between two and five nights per week, depending on the ...
since 1963 and host of the ''
Country Music Greats Radio Hour'' since 2003.
* June 12:
Monica Lewis, 93, American actress and singer, notable for being the voice of the
Chiquita Banana girl and the host of her own radio program on
WMCA/
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
.
* July 6:
Stan Carew, 64, musician and regular host on
CBC Radio.
* July 13:
J. R. Gach, 63. Shock jock with various stops across the United States.
* July 17:
Van Miller, 87. Longtime radio play-by-play announcer, best-known work was as voice of the
Buffalo Bills Radio Network from 1960–71 and 1978–2003; other notable roles included calling the
Buffalo Braves
The Buffalo Braves were an American professional basketball team based in Buffalo, New York. The Braves competed in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference ...
,
Buffalo Stallions,
Niagara Purple Eagles, and various non-sports roles at
WFCB/
Dunkirk, New York and
WBEN/
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is a Administrative divisions of New York (state), city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York and county seat of Erie County, New York, Erie County. It lies in Western New York at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of ...
* July 24:
Peg Lynch, 98. American comedy writer and radio actress (most famous for her roles in the 1950s sitcom ''
Ethel and Albert'' and its successor, ''The Couple Next Door'')
* July 31:
Alan Cheuse, 75. Novelist,
George Mason University
George Mason University (GMU) is a Public university, public research university in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. Located in Northern Virginia near Washington, D.C., the university is named in honor of George Mason, a Founding Father ...
creative writing instructor, and literary commentator for
NPR's ''
All Things Considered''
* August 25:
Marguerite McDonald, 73. Canadian radio journalist, original host of
CBC Radio's ''
The House''.
["Marguerite McDonald, 1st host of CBC Radio's The House, dead at 73"]
CBC News
CBC News is the division of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the news gathering and production of news programs on the corporation's English-language operations, namely CBC Television, CBC Radio, CBC News Network, and CBC ...
, August 24, 2015.
* August 29:
Luo Lan, 95, Taiwanese writer and radio personality
* October 1:
Usnija Redžepova, 69, Serbian singer who began her career on radio
* October 26:
Ed Walker, 83.
Washington, DC
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and Federal district of the United States, federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from ...
radio personality (work at several stations and programs, most notably with
WRC's ''
The Joy Boys'' and
WAMU-FM's ''The Big Broadcast'').
Obituary for Ed Walker
from ''The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
'', 10/26/2015
* December 27: Dave "Hendu" Henderson, 56. Radio commentator (and former player) for the Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. The Mariners compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. The team joined the American ...
.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:2015 In Radio
Radio by year